Ilford Community Grocery, in Clements Road, allows members who are struggling with rising prices to purchase food and essential items at a discounted rate.
Since the store was established in 2023, more than 2,000 people have paid the £5 annual membership fee which provides them with access to affordable groceries in-store multiple times a week.
The charity, which is supported by Christian charity The Message Trust, City Gates Church, and Redbridge Council, sees around 300 members shop in its store weekly.
The grocery’s manager, Beth Koch, told this paper that demand for affordable food is constant across all demographics in Ilford, with membership of the grocery steadily increasing each week.
Beth, who has worked at the grocery for a year, said: “We describe community groceries as the bridge between a foodbank and a normal supermarket.
“Foodbanks are brilliant at providing emergency support, however there is a gap in terms of what to do next when you’ve got a bit of money but are still struggling to get by.
“This grocery provides that support for people and gives them the dignity to come in and choose their shops for themselves on a regular basis.
“We serve asylum seekers and refugees, retired people, families, single parents, homeless people, students, and people who just have low paid jobs.
“There is such a wide range of need in society, and we didn’t want to create this community for just one type of person.”
Beth described the story of a single mother with six children, one of whom is disabled, who relies on the service to ensure she can feed her family.
She said that customers regularly tell her that they would not know how they would survive if it weren’t for the store.
The grocery operates on a point-based system, where each item is worth a certain number of points and every point equates to 50p.
Prices for products range from two to 10 points, and members can choose to buy set deals – such as the ‘small shop’ size which costs £5 for 12 points – which help to maximise affordability.
Most of the food sold is donated by charities like The Felix Project and City Harvest, national supermarkets like Morrisons, and local suppliers – with the eggs sold at the grocery sourced from “a shop down the road”.
The grocery often sells produce that is close to its best before date to reduce food waste and keep prices down, whilst ensuring that all food sold is safe to eat.
Beth emphasised the importance of community to the grocery’s work, as the store has only two paid staff members and is largely run by volunteers.
“It’s more than just a shop.
“It is called community grocery for a reason, with it being focused on building relationships in the community.
“We get to know our members well, we get to chat with them and provide a listening ear.
“A lot of our volunteers are retired and have said that the community spirit helps them, just as their work is able to help others.”
The grocery provides services beyond food, such as linking people in need to support services, running courses to teach life skills and budgeting, and hosting community groups.
These groups include a parents and toddlers group on Tuesdays from 1.30pm to 3pm and weekly Toasty Friday sessions from 10:30am to 12pm for tea, toast, and a chat.
The charity also hosts two courses related to Christianity, called Exploring Christianity and Alpha, which anyone is free to attend if they are interested.
While the grocery is run by a Christian charity, and many of the volunteers come from City Gates Church, Beth stressed that people of all faiths and none should feel welcome to attend the store and its events.
The Message Trust runs more than 30 community groceries across the UK.
Reflecting on her time at the grocery, Beth said: “To see the impact it has on people and having that care for the individuals in front of you, it is a joy.”
The grocery encouraged any businesses interested in partnerships to reach out via email: ilford@communitygrocery.org.uk.
